! Project Summary The mission of the Society for Investigative Dermatology (SID) is `To advance and promote the sciences relevant to skin health and disease through education, advocacy, and scholarly exchange of scientific information.' Part of this mission is to ensure there is an adequate pipeline of educators and researchers to foster the next generation. Over the past few decades, there is a notable shortage of Academic Dermatologists in the United States. Among the 127 ACGME accredited Dermatology residency programs in the US, a relatively small percentage of graduating residents indicate an interest in academic medicine and teaching the next generation. Members of the SID represent a significant percentage of U.S. dermatology faculty. The organization is uniquely suited to address the problem given its access to both faculty and resident physicians. The SID mission and that of the National Institute for Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) are largely overlapping. Both are committed to supporting skin disease research and training basic and clinical investigators. The two organizations have a vested interest maintaining a pipeline of dermatological educators and researchers. In order to leverage potential synergy in the missions of the SID and NIAMS, the Resident Retreat for Future Academicians was developed. The SID Retreat is an annual conference presented by the SID for a select group of first-year dermatology residents who have expressed an interest in a career in academics. The program tests the hypothesis that early and sustained exposure to like-minded residents, graduate students, post-docs and seasoned faculty will have a positive effect on a decision to enter into academia. To achieve our goals, we plan to expand upon the format utilized over the past 17 years, which included discussions of grant writing, finding mentors, negotiating a job (and protected time), economics, work-life balance, developing an interest area, integrating academics into dermatologic specialties and finding funding. These themes have been very well received, but do not address how physician scientists create collaborative liaisons with PhD scientists to bring new knowledge into the field of Dermatology. We have added a multidisciplinary experience which is an important aspect of building scientific opportunity to improve our field, and is a core value of the SID. Our work shows this Resident Retreat is effective at promoting increases in academic retention.